tw.togreenangeltower2-第124部分

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　　　　　　　Josua's　standard　had　been　thrown　down；　Isgrimnur　searched　in　vain　for　something　he　could　use　to　give　his　forces　a　rallying　point。　A　giant　fell　to　the　snow；　thrashing　as　it　died　with　a　dozen　arrows　crackling　beneath　it；　and　the　duke's　horse　bolted　away　despite　his　attempts　to　control　it；　pulling　up　at　last　in　an　eddy　of　calm　on　the　part　of　the　northeastern　hillside　nearest　the　Kynswood。
　　　　　　　When　he　had　steadied　his　mount；　Isgrimnur　sheathed　Kvalnir　and　removed　his　helmet；　then　tugged　his　surcoat　up；　grunting　at　the　pain　in　his　back　and　ribs。　For　a　moment　his　bulky　mail　prevented　him　from　pulling　the　garment　over　his　head；　Isgrimnur　struggled；　cursing　and　sweating；　horrified　at　the　thought　of　being　taken　by　surprise　and　struck　down　in　such　a　ridiculous　position。　Thesurcoat　ripped　at　the　armholes　and　he　yanked　it　free　at　last；　then　looked　around　for　something　to　which　he　could　tie　it。　One　of　the　Norns'　pikes　lay　on　the　snow。　Isgrimnur　unsheathed　his　sword；　then　leaned　over；　grunting；　and　hooked　it　up　so　he　could　grab　the　long　shaft。　As　he　tied　the　shirt　sleeves　to　the　smooth　grayish　wood；　he　stared　at　the　bladed　tip　that　seemed　to　blossom　like　a　knife…petaled　flower。　When　he　had　finished；　he　lifted　the　makeshift　banner　above　his　head　and　rode　back　into　the　thick　of　the　battle；　roaring　a　Rimmersgard　war　song　that　even　he　could　not　hear。
　　　　　　　He　had　already　dodged　one　swinging　blow　from　an　ax…wielding　Norn　before　he　realized　his　helm　was　still　swinging　on　his　saddle　horn。　Kvalnir　bounced　ineffectively　from　the　creature's　strange　painted　armor。　Isgrimnur　managed　to　catch　the　returning　blow　on　his　arm；　suffering　only　torn　mail　and　a　shallow　gouge　in　his　flesh；　but　the　Norn　was　very　nimble　on　the　slippery　snow；　and　was　circling　rapidly　for　another　attack。　The　wind　abruptly　blew　the　banner　across　the　duke's　face。
　　　　　　　Killed　by　my　own　shirt；　was　his　brief　thought；　then　the　cloth　flapped　away　again。　A　dark　something　heaved　into　his　field　of　sight　and　the　Norn　staggered　sideways；　blood　erupting　from　a　split　helmet。　The　new　arrival　wheeled　about　in　a　splash　of　snow　and　returned　to　ride　down　Isgrimnur's　reeling　enemy。
　　　　　　　〃You　are　alive；〃　Sludig　gasped；　swiping　his　dripping　ax　against　his　cloak。
Isgrimnur　took　a　breath；　then　shouted　over　the　growing　rumble　of　thunder。　〃This　is　a　damnable　mess…where's　Freosel？〃
　　　　　　　Sludig　indicated　a　knot　of　struggling　shapes　a　hundred　cubits　away。　〃e。　And　put　your　damned　helmet　on。〃
　　　　　　　〃They're　ing　down　the　waits！〃　someone　shouted。
　　　　　　　Isgrimnur　looked　over　to　see　rope　ladders　unrolling　at　the　far　end　of　the　Hayholt's　sloping　outwall。　The　darkening　sky　and　the　dizzying　flashes　of　intermittent　lightning　made　it　hard　to　see　anything　clearly；　but　to　Isgrimnur　the　men　making　their　way　down　the　ladders　looked　like　mortals。
　　　　　　　〃God　damn　their　mercenary　souls！〃　the　duke　growled。　〃And　now　we're　pinched　from　both　sides。　We're　being　forced　back　against　the　walls　and　we　won't　have　the　advantage　of　numbers　much　longer。〃　He　turned　and　looked　past　his　small；　besieged　pany。　Across　the　battlefield　he　could　see　determined　clumps　of　men；　Seriddan's　Nabbanai　legions　and　Hotvig's　horsemen；　trying　to　fight　their　way　toward　his　surcoat…banner；　which　now　waved　on　the　strut　of　a　scaling　ladder　socketed　in　the　muddy　ground。　The　question　was　whether　Hotvig　and　the　rest　could　cut　their　way　through　before　Isgrimnur's　small　party　was　crushed　between　the　Norns　and　the　mercenaries。
　　　　　　　Perhaps　we　should　fall　back　toward　the　base　of　the　castle　walls；　he　thought；…even　try　to　fetch　up　in　front　of　that　new　gate。　There　was　little　else　he　and　Sludig　and　the　rest　could　do：　they　were　going　to　be　forced　back　in　any　case；　so　they　might　as　well　pick　their　spot。　The　duke　had　noticed　that　none　of　Elias'　soldiers　were　atop　the　gate：　he　guessed　it　might　not　be　wide　enough。　If　that　was　true；　he　and　his　small　pany　could　use　it　as　a　rearguard　without　having　to　worry　about　missiles　from　above。　With　their　backs　protected；　they　could　hold　off　even　the　fearsome　Norns　until　the　rest　of　the　soldiers　fought　through。。。　or　so　he　hoped。
And　maybe　if　we　make　ourselves　a　little　room　we　can　force　that　cursed　gate；　or　use　those　ladders；　and　go　in　after　Isorn。　No　reason　Elias　shouldn't　have　some　mortal　foxes　in　his　henyard　for　a　change。
He　turned　back　to　the　horde　of　pale；　black…eyed　creatures　and　their　witchwood　blades。　Lightning　split　the　sky　again；　eclipsing　for　a　moment　the　scarlet　smolder　of　the　Conqueror　Star。　Dimly；　Isgrimnur　heard　a　bell　toiling；　and　felt　it　in　his　gut　and　bones　as　well。　For　a　moment　he　saw　what　looked　like　flames　crawling　at　the　edge　of　his　vision；　but　then　the　storm…darkness　fell　again。
God　help　us；　he　thought　distractedly。　That's　the　noon　bell　in　the　tower。　And　here　it　is　black　as　night。　Aedon；　it's　so　dark。　。。　。

　　　　　　　〃Oh！　Mother　of　Mercy！〃　Miriamele　looked　down　from　the　balcony；　horrified。　Below　her　perch　on　the　king's　residence；　the　Inner　Bailey　was　a　sea　of　men　and　horses　that　moved　in　strange　rippling　patterns　of　conflict。　Snow　whipped　and　circled　in　the　wind；　making　everything　indistinct。　The　sky　was　knotted　with　stormclouds；　but　the　red　star　burned　visibly　behind　them；　its　long　tail　casting　a　faint　bloody　glow　over　all。　〃Uncle　Josua　has　begun　the　siege！〃　she　cried。　Their　hurry　to　find　him　and　warn　him　seemed　to　have　been　for　nothing。
The　climb　up　the　stairs　had　led　them　at　last　to　a　door　hidden　in　the　lower　recesses　of　the　storerooms　beneath　the　king's　residence。　Miriamele；　who　prided　herself　on　her　knowledge　of　the　Hayholt's　ins　and　outs；　many　of　them　discovered　while　in　her　Malachias　disguise；　had　been　shocked　to　discover　that　a　passageway　to　old　Asu'a　had　been　beneath　her　nose　all　the　time　she　had　lived　here…but　there　were　more　surprises　waiting。
　　　　　　　The　second　came　when　they　emerged　cautiously　into　the　ground…level　portions　of　the　residence。　Despite　the　howling　of　wind　and　the　roar　of　wild　voices　outside；　the　many　chambers　of　the　residence　were　deserted；　and　showed　little　evidence　of　any　recent　habitation。　As　they　passed　through　the　cold　rooms　and　grimy　hallways；　Miriamele's　fear　of　discovery　had　lessened；　but　her　sense　of　things　being　wrong　had　grown　steadily。　Braced　for　any　number　of　unhappy　discoveries；　she　had　entered　her　fa…
ther's　sleeping　chamber　only　to　find　it　not　just　empty；　but　in　such　a　fetid　and　bestial　state　that　she　could　not　imagine　who　might　have　been　living　there。
　　　　　　　Now　they　had　emerged　onto　a　small　sheltered　balcony　off　one　of　the　third　floor　rooms；　where　they　crouched　behind　its　stone　railing；　peering　through　the　ornamental　slits　at　the　madness　below。　The　air　smelled　strongly　of　lightning…tang　and　blood。
　　　　　　　〃I　fear　that　is　true。〃　Binabik　spoke　in　a　loud　voice：　between　the　uproar　of　bat　and　the　howling　winds；　there　was　no　fear　of　drawing　attention。　〃People　are　fighting　down　below；　and　there　are　men　and　animals　lying　dead。　But　still　something　there　is　that　is　strange。　I　wish　we　could　be　seeing　beyond　the　castle　walls。〃
　　　　　　　〃What　do　we　do？〃　Miriamele　looked　about　frantically。　〃Josua　and　Camaris　and　the　rest　must　still　be　outside。　We　have　to　get　out　to　them　somehow！〃
　　　　　　　The　daylight；　darkened　by　stormclouds　until　the　whole　of　the　castle　seemed　sunk　in　deep　water；　shifted　and　flickered　strangely；　then　for　a　moment　the　world　suddenly　shouted　and　went　white。　A　coil　of　lightning　had　snapped　down　like　a　fiery　whip；　thunder　rattled　the　air　and　even　seemed　to　shake　the　balcony　beneath　them。　The　lightning　curled　around　Green　Angel　Tower；　hung　for　a　moment　as　the　thunder　echoes　faded；　then　sputtered　out　of　existence。　
　　　　　　　〃How？〃　Binabik　shouted。　〃I　do　not　know　this　castle。　What　places　might　there　be　for　escaping？〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　was　having　trouble　thinking。　The　noises　of　wind　and　bat　made　her　want　to　scream　and　cover　her　ears；　the　whirling　clouds　overhead　dizzied　her。　She　abruptly　remembered　Cadrach；　who　had　been　trailing　along　behind　them；　silent　and　unresponsive　as　a　sleepwalker　Miriamele　turned；　certain　that　he　had　taken　advantage　of　their　confusion　to　sneak　away；　but　the　monk　was　crouched　in　the　doorway；　gazing　up　at　the　tempestuous；　red…shot　sky　with　a　look　of　resignation。
　　　　　　　〃Perhaps　we　could　get　out　through　the　Seagate；〃　she　said　to　the　troll。　〃If　Josua's　army　is　at　the　walls　above　Erchester；　perhaps　there　will　be　only　a　few　。。。〃
Binabik's　eyes　widened。　〃Look　there！〃　He　thrust　his　hand　through　the　slitted　railing　to　point。　〃Is　that　not。。。　？　Oh；　Daughter　of　the　Mountains！〃
　　　　　　　Miriamele　squinted；　trying　to　make　sense　out　of　the　madness　below　her；　and　saw　that　there　was　more　to　the　antheap…swirl　of　activity　than　just　defenders　running　to　and　from　the　moat…bridge　that　led　to　the　Middle　Bailey。　In　fact；　there　seemed　to　be　a　fight　of　some　kind　taking　place　on　the　bridge　itself。　A　large　knot　of　armed　men　in　the　Middle　Bailey　was　forcing　a　smaller　troop　of　riders　and　footmen　back　across　the　moat。　As　she　stared；　one　of　the　horses　reared　and　tumbled　from　the　span；　taking　its　rider　with　it　into　the　dark　water。　Were　Josua's　forces　inside　the　wall　already；　and　pushing　toward　the　Inner　Bailey？　Could　those　few　on　the　bridge　be　the　last　of　her　father's　defenders？　But　then　what　of　all　the　armored　men　just　below　her　who　were　doing　nothing　to　support　the　retreating　horsemen？　Who　were　they？
　　　　　　　And　then；　as　the　small　troop　on　the　bridge　was　forced　back　even　farther；　she　saw　what　Binabik　had　seen。　One　of　the　riders；　standing　almost　impossibly　tall　in　his　saddle；　swung　his　blade　high　overhead。　Even　in　the　false　twilight　she　could　see　that　the　sword　was　black　as　coal。
　　　　　　　〃Oh；　God；　save　us。〃　Something　cold　clutched　at　her　innards。　〃It's　Camaris！〃
Binabik　was　leaning　forward；　his　face　pressed　against　the　stone　rails。　〃I　am　thinking　I　see　Prince　Josua；　too…　there；　in　the　gray　cloak；　riding　near　to　Camaris。〃　He　turned　to　her；　his　face　fearful。　Another　jagged　lightning　flash　silvered　the　sky。　〃And　there　are　so　few　with　them…　they　could　not　have　been　fighting　their　way　inside　the　walls；　I　am　guessing。　Somehow　they　have　been　tricked　into　bringing　the　sword　into　the　castle。〃　
　　　　　　　Miriamele　hammered　her　palms　against　the　balcony　floor。　〃What　can　we　do？'〃　
　　　　　　　The　troll　peered　out　through　the　rails　again。　〃I　am　not　knowing；〃　he　half…shouted。　〃I　ha